Tule Lake Internment – Segregation Jail & Stockade

One man’s job is another man’s jail.
Jimi Yamaichi recalls the Tule Lake Segregation Center’s jail, one of the few remaining structures on the site. Jimi supervised the jail’s construction with a large crew. The jail has always been a symbol of controversy.

Born in the USA, educated in Japan.
Jim, standing inside the stockade, begins to answer the big question what did people do to be placed in the stockade? This is the first of a two parts. He introduces us to the Kibei – A person born in the United States of Japanese immigrant parents and educated chiefly in Japan. Many in the stockade were Kibei. Many Kibei did not speak english which meant they could have jobs. Scenes include Pilgrimage people visiting the stockade and surrounding grounds behind a perimeter fence.

What did one have to do to be placed in this jail?
Jimi continues to answer the big question – what did people do to be placed in the stockade? He introduces us to the Hoshi-Dan, a pro-Japan faction in camp that resisted and harassed the government camp administration. Jimi also talks about the “No-No” folks who decided to return to Japan after the war. No- No refers to answering no to two question on a loyalty questionnaire created in February 1943 by the U.S War Department and the War Relocation Authority. Question #27 asked: Are you willing to serve in the armed forces of the United States on combat duty, wherever ordered? Question #28 asked: Will you swear unqualified allegiance to the United States of America and faithfully defend the United States from any and all attack by foreign or domestic forces, and forswear any form of allegiance to the Japanese Emperor or any other foreign government, power, or organization? Scenes include a pan from atop Horse Mountain looking west starting with Mt. Shasta and going north through the camp.

Police with many hats.
When around the army Jimi Yamaichi had a strange feeling, The army as instructed not to have interactions with the internees. Jimi talks about the Internal Police, INS, and the Army, all who had side-arms and wore hats. And then there was the FBI, everywhere, in suits. It was hard to forget that one was in detention and under constant surveillance. He also speaks of a broken bat used in an interrogation.